Although Islamic State’s “caliphate” has been eradicated in Syria, it remains a threat in the region and beyond, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told lawmakers Tuesday.
Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Gen. Joseph Dunford warned that while the Islamic State has been “been cleared on the ground in Syria,” it “maintains a global capability.”
On Friday, the White House declared that the Islamic State’s territorial caliphate in Syria, where the terrorist group once controlled 8 million people, has been 100 percent wiped out.
Gen. Dunford’s comments come as the first public confirmation from a Pentagon official backing President Trump’s claim of the terror group’s final defeat in Syria.
On Saturday, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said in a statement, “while this is a critical milestone in the fight against ISIS, we understand our work is far from complete.”
Mr. Trump has set in motion plans to withdraw the bulk of American troops from Syria over the next several months, with plans to leave a small 400 to 600-man force to oversee “stability operations.”
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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